Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-06-15

faborious life. His chief work had been 70
care for the poor. How many loayes OF
bread be distributed, how many bare feet
he had sandaled, how many cots Of sick
ness and distress he blessed with ministries
Of kindness and love, / do not know but
from the way he lived and the way he
preached, and the way he died, ] know he
was laborious Christian. But that Is
all over now. He has pressed
the cup to the last fainting lip.
He has taken the last Insult from his
enemies. The last stone to whose crush
ing weight he is susceptible has been
hurled. Stephen is dead The disciples
come. They take him up. They wash
away the blood from the wounds. They
straighten ont the bruised limbs. They
brush hack the tangled hair from the
brow, and then they pass around to look
upon the calm countenanee OF him who
had lived for the poor and died for the
truth. Stephen asleep! / have seen the
sea driven with the hurricane until the
tangled foam caught in the rigging, and
wave rising above wave seemed as il about
to storm the heavens, and then / have
seen the tempest drop, and the waves
crouch, and everything become smooth
and FURNISHED as though camping place
for the glories Of heaven. So j have seen
man, whose life has been
tossed and driven, coming down
at last to an infinite calm,
in which there was the hush Of heavens
lullaby. Stephen asleepl saw such an
one. He fought all his days against pow
erty and against abuse. They traduced
his name. They ratified at the door knob
while he was dying, with rduns for debts
he could not pay; yet tho peace of God
brooded over his pillow, and while the
world faded, heaven dawned, and the deep
ening twilight of earth's night was only
opening of heavens morn. Not sigh.
Not tear. Nota struggle. Hushl Stephen
asleep
/ have not
THE FACULTY TO TELL THE WEATHER.
/ can never tell by the setting sun whether
there will be drought or not. l cannot
tell by the blowing Of the wind whether
it will be fair weather or foul or foul on
the morrow. But can prophesy, and /
will prophesy what weather it will be
Wucu yOui tnC SuIiStlnu, CoihC W VIC.
You may have it very rough now.
1t may be this week one annoyance,
the next another annoyance. IL
may be this year one bereavement,
the next bereavement. Before this year
has passed you may have to beg for bread,
or ask for scuttle Of coal or pair OF
shoes; but spread your death couch amid
the leaves Of the forest, or make ii out of
the straw Of a pauper's hut, the wolf in
the jungle bowling close by, or memorable
creditors jerking the pillow from under
your dying head-Christ will come in and
darkness will 60 out. And though there
may be no hand to close your eyes, and no
breast on which to rest your dying head,
and no candle to lift the night, the Odors
of Gods hanging garden will regale your
soul, and at your bedside will halt the
chariots of the king. No more rents to pay,
no more agony because flour has gone up,
no more struggle with ''tbe world, the
flesh, and the devil;'' but peace-long,
deep, everlasting peace. Stephen asleep!
"Asleep in Jesus, blessed sleep,
From which none ever wake 10 weep;
calm and undisturbed repose,
Uninjured by the last Of foes
Asleep in Jesus far from thee
Thy kindred and their graves may be;
But there is still blessed sleep,
From which none ever wake 10 weep"
You have seen enough for one morning.
No one can successfully examine more than
five pictures in day. Therefore we stop,
having seen this cluster OF Divine Raph-
aels-Stephen gazing ints heaven; Stephen
looking at Christ; Stephen stoned Stephen
in his dying prayer; Stephen asleep.